8:30–9:30 a.m.

8:45–10:45 a.m.

6:00–8:00 p.m

8:45–10:00 a.m

10:00–11:00 a.m. and

3:30–4:30 p.m.

No school

Above: Class 1-3 raises the May pole with Mr. Kaczor and Mr. Clough.

Please join us for a tea in honor of our new mixed-age kindergarten teacher, Kristina Mainella. We'll gather in the Cloud Castle directly after morning drop off on Tuesday, May 18. Stop in for a quick "hello," or stay for tea and conversation! Parents with children in all programs—parent & child playgroup, EC, and grades, as well as board members, are warmly invited.

The Lower and Upper Grades classes have joined forces this year to create an all-grade-school play to be performed outdoors, by the Cloud Castle. Bring a chair or blanket. Performance dates are Wednesday, May 26, 10:00–11:00 a.m. and 3:30–4:30 p.m. Rain dates will be Thursday, May 27, 10:00–11:00 a.m. and Friday, May 28, 3:30–4:30 p.m.

The Children of Hamelin (aka, Class 1-3) will be performing four fables for the village. These will include stories with mice, cats, a wolf, donkey, dog and lots of farm animals, but no rats! We hope everyone in town can make it.

A plague of rats has the medieval town of Hamelin, Germany, in its grips. Who can save the town? The Pied Piper? Be careful what you wish for! This outdoor performance features the students' handmade papier-mâché masks, dancing, music, and more.

Please note: During the play, we ask that parents refrain from taking photographs or videotaping. We will offer a chance for parents to take photographs directly after each of the performances.

We are excited to announced that we will be holding a Penobscot Culture Day for all of our students on Thursday, June 10. We are honored to host Barry Dana, a respected guide, teacher, artist, and former Chief of the Penobscot Nation, who will spend the school day with us. Mr. Dana will offer a variety of presentations, stories, crafts, and hands-on activities to the students. After school, Mr. Dana will attend our faculty meeting for a professional development seminar. We hope this day will deepen and extend students' and teachers' understanding of the people and cultures of the region and lands where we live.

Join us on Wednesday, June 2 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. for a virtual open house on what makes Waldorf education unique. Waldorf schools offer a developmentally appropriate, experiential, and academically rigorous approach to education. They integrate the arts in all academic disciplines for children from preschool through the grades to enhance and enrich learning. Waldorf education aims to inspire life-long learning in all students and to enable them to fully develop their unique capacities. There will be a brief presentation by the faculty followed by a Q&A. All are welcome! Pre-registration is required for anyone who is not a current Ashwood family. To receive a Zoom link for the June virtual open house, preregister at info@ashwoodwaldorf.org or call 207-236-8021. Ashwood parents will automatically receive a Zoom link. For current families there is no requirement to pre-register; however, if you can let us know you're coming it helps with our planning.

On June 8, at 9:30 a.m. in the upper field the students in the fifth and sixth grades will demonstrate their skills in several athletic events. Upper grades families, please save the date!

On Wednesday, June 9 from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m., students in the early childhood will participate in the Bridge Crossing. This event celebrates our time together this year with songs, circle and crossing of the flower bedecked bridge. The event takes place in the rear of the EC building. If weather threatens it will take place in the Cloud Castle.

On Thursday, June 10, grade school children will participate in a puffin and seal watching boat trip with Hardy Boat Cruises for the duration of the school day (8:30-1:00). Drop off and pick up will be off site. Drop off at Hardy Boat Cruises in New Harbor takes place from 8:30–9:00. Pick up will be at 1:00 p.m. at Pemaquid Beach. For details click here.

On Thursday, June 10, the day of the grade school field trip (see accompanying article), families with children in both the grade school and early childhood may wish to take advantage of the following drop off and pick up accommodations: early drop off beginning at 8:00 a.m.; early pick up at noon; late pick up at 2:00 p.m. Please let Ms. Marianne know if you will be taking advantage of any of these options.

What a surprise to find two child-sized picnic tables waiting in front of the kindergarten class on Monday! Uniting their efforts, the class was able to carry them to the back for our snack and lunches. Thanks to our new tables, even the smallest children can now sit "properly" at mealtimes! Thank you Buck O'Herin and Lisa Newcomb! Buck and Lisa are alumni parents, and Lisa is an assistant EC teacher and parent & child playgroup leader.

Thank you, Julia Dodge for the delicious Monday continental breakfast of yogurt, fruit and granola and blueberry bread, and to Jesse Kivel for the banana muffins with figs and sunnies! The faculty also would like to express their gratitude to parents for a delicious luncheon this Thursday. On the table were soba noodles, quinoa salad, beet-lentil salad, fresh bread and brioche, cardamom-cranberry muffins, yogurt and fruit salad, black bean brownies, chocolate chip banana bread, shortbread, fizzy water, a bouquet of flowers (food for the soul!) and a cornucopia of delicacies from the deli. Thank you!

Above: May Fair! The weather was fine, the wind just enough to keep the black flies at bay. It was wonderful to share this festival with parents and caregivers. Our gratitude goes out to all who helped make this day so grand, with a special tip of the tam-o-shanter to our piper, Stephen Gorry. Enjoy our slideshow and videos!

We raised $755 with the raffle. The luck winners were: Tabatha Tucker, Keri Kaczor, Elizabeth Doshi, a friend of the Doan Family, Suzanne Litke, and Jenny P. This special fundraiser will help pay for our Penobscot Culture Day with Barry Dana. Our thanks to all those who purchased and sold tickets!

Alumni Update: Harper Alexander '06

After graduating from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Harper moved to Los Angeles where he worked as a cinematographer for several years. During this time he met and married Evelina Santaguida, an Italian language teacher and accomplished cook. Together they created the hit YouTube channel, Pasta Grammar, where they apply their unique sense of humor to teach viewers about authentic Italian cuisine. If anyone is looking for delicious Italian recipes shared with true comedic charm, be sure to check out their website, above, or find them on YouTube: Pasta Grammar. Those of you who know Harper and his family might especially enjoy this one, about how he and Eve met here in Maine.

—Valerie Shepard '98

The next Ashwood Parent Community gathering will be on Thursday, May 20 from 8:45 to 10:00 a.m. If shade or rain cover is needed, the meeting will take place under the sail behind the EC. Otherwise we will meet in the upper field. We hope to see you all there!

Tonie Acosta Young, APC facilitator

Waldorf Education E-News

Seeking Summer Childcare. We are seeking childcare help in July and August for our 4 and 2-year-olds in Lincolnville. We're looking for care Monday to Thursday from 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. It's important to us to find someone with low potential COVID-19 exposure and who is fully vaccinated. We are also both fully vaccinated. To learn more, contact: Noah T. Winer and Sarah Zlotnik.

Seedling Sale. Saturday, May 22, 9:00 a.m.-noon, 446 Davis Road, Union. All seedlings are grown in organic, Vermont Compost potting soil. Seedlings include vegetables, flowers (perennial and annual), medicinal and culinary herbs. Heirloom varieties of both tomatoes and peppers. Please contact me if you would like to receive the list of varieties and prices. Pre-orders encouraged, as varieties are selling out! Rose Swan (mother of Tillia in the early childhood)

Members of the Ashwood community may post classified ads at no cost. Please send your notices to Laura Purdom. The next Leaflet of the school year will be published on Sunday, May 30. The deadline for contributions is Wednesday, May 26.

Do you shop online at Amazon? If so, consider making your purchases through AmazonSmile and choosing Ashwood as your charity. A percentage of what you spend goes to Ashwood, with no extra cost to you!